AN ACT TO AMEND SECTIONS 27-51-9 AND 27-65-31, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO PROVIDE THAT THE STATE SALES TAX ON RETAIL SALES OF EQUIPMENT AND UTILITY TRAILERS SHALL NOT BE COLLECTED BY THE SELLER FROM THE PURCHASER AT THE TIME OF SALE BUT SHALL BE PAID BY THE PURCHASER AT THE TIME THE AD VALOREM TAXES ARE PAID ON THE TRAILER; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

27-51-9. For the purposes of this chapter, the fiscal year shall commence on August 1 and shall end on July 31 of each year. The taxable year shall run concurrently with the taxable year in effect in the law pertaining to the payment of the road and bridge privilege license tax on motor vehicles. Except as otherwise provided in Section 27-41-2, ad valorem taxes on motor vehicles shall be collected by the county tax collector for the county and state and by the municipal tax collector for the municipalities. Ad valorem taxes for any ensuing year may be paid during the month as provided in Section 27-19-31, however, and said ad valorem taxes on any motor vehicle must be paid at the same time or prior to the time that the road and bridge privilege license is issued for the subject motor vehicle, unless herein otherwise specifically exempt from such ad valorem taxes. The ad valorem tax on motor vehicles shall be computed on the millage rates in effect at the time such privilege license tax is to be paid.

The taxpayer shall also pay the sales tax due on the sale of an equipment or utility trailer at the time the ad valorem taxes are paid on the trailer, if the taxpayer purchased such trailer on or after July 1, 1999.

27-65-31. Any person liable for a privilege tax levied and assessed by this chapter except the taxes levied by Sections 27-65-15 and 27-65-21, Mississippi Code of 1972, shall add the amount of such tax due by him to the sales price or gross income and, in addition thereto, shall collect, insofar as practicable, the amount of the tax due by him from the purchaser at the time the sales price or gross income is collected. However, from and after July 1, 1999, on retail sales of equipment and utility trailers, the seller shall not be required to add the amount of the tax to the sales price or gross income and collect the tax from the purchaser at the time the sales price or gross income is collected, and the purchaser shall pay the amount of the tax due on the sales price when the ad valorem taxes are paid on the trailer.

The commissioner is hereby authorized, in his discretion, to prescribe by rule or regulation, brackets or schedules by which the applicable tax shall be collected from the purchaser.

The commissioner shall have the authority to make changes as necessary by rule or regulation to implement an agreement for the collection of sales tax by direct marketers with limited contact in Mississippi if, in his discretion, it is beneficial to the state for him to do so.

It shall be unlawful for any person, who is liable for a privilege tax levied by this chapter except the taxes levied by Sections 27-65-15 and 27-65-21, Mississippi Code of 1972, to fail or refuse to add to the sales price and collect, insofar as practicable, the amount of tax due by him on each sale, except where the tax was included in the cost of furnishing service when said cost was a factor in the fixing of rates and charges.

The tax due under the provisions of this chapter shall be computed and paid on gross income or gross proceeds of sales of the business, regardless of the fact that small unit sales may be within the bracket of one (1) of the schedules which does not provide for the collection of the tax from the customer.

Nothing in this section with reference to the collection of the tax from the customer shall be construed to impair, abridge, alter or affect the obligation of any contract in existence at the time it becomes effective.

When the tax collected for any filing period is in excess of the amount due, the total tax collected, including that in excess of the computed liability, shall be paid to the commissioner. This provision shall be construed with other provisions of the law and given effect so as to result in the payment to the commissioner of the total tax collected if in excess of the amount due when computed at the applicable rates.

The funds collected by the taxpayer (seller) from the purchaser pursuant to the provisions of this chapter shall be considered "trust fund monies" and the taxpayer shall hold these funds in trust for the State of Mississippi; said funds to be separately accounted for as provided by regulation of the commissioner. If the taxpayer fails to remit these trust fund monies as required by law, then the taxpayer may be assessed with a penalty in three (3) times the amount of taxes due. This penalty is to be assessed and collected in the same manner as taxes imposed by this chapter and shall be in addition to all other penalties and/or interest otherwise imposed. For purposes of this section there shall be a presumption that the taxpayer collected the tax from the customer or purchaser.

Any person violating the provisions of this section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, shall be fined in a sum not less than Fifty Dollars ($50.00) nor more than One Hundred Dollars ($100.00).

SECTION 3. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 1999.